JAY-Z went ahead with an outdoor concert in New York on Monday (21Jun10) just days after the gig was axed amid security fears - the rapper moved the show and scaled down his performance in order to comply with city regulations.
The hip-hop mogul had planned to pack the streets of midtown Manhattan with a surprise gig atop the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater during rush hour, as part of an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman.
But city officials refused to grant the star a permit to perform after word of the secret show leaked, and officials feared a mass turn out would bring chaos to the streets of the Big Apple.
But Jay-Z refused to let the ruling damper his plans - he moved the show to the roof of the TV studio and allowed only 100 invited fans to watch him perform with his surprise guest Eminem. A permit was not required for the re-jigged show, as the performance was held on private property, according to the New York Post.
The decision to axe Jay-Z's gig on top of the Ed Sullivan Theater came just days after overcrowding led to the cancellation of a Drake gig in the city.